What is a Traditional Pathology Report?
What is a Pathology Report? The pathologist is a physician who specializes in identifying diseases by studying cells and tissues under a microscope. The pathologist who completed your report studied cells and tissue taken during your surgery. The pathologist determines if the cells are cancerous (malignant), precancerous (premalignant: at high risk of becoming cancerous) or benign (harmless). The pathologist then wrote a report for your surgeon detailing the findings of this study. Your surgeon and other physicians involved in your care, will use this report to assist in developing plans for your treatment. Most pathology reports have your name listed either at the top or bottom of the report. This is followed by specific information that is standard in surgical pathology reports. • Demographics • Anatomic Pathology Diagnosis • Procedures/Addenda • Clinical History/Pre-Operative Diagnosis • Procedure • Specimen(s) Received • Gross Description • Microscopic Description Understanding You
